Hi all,

I will be starting Phase 2 on Tuesday and would love to hear how some of you successfully reintroduced carbs into your diet. I was thinking about starting with a serving of fruit at lunch or for a snack.

Thanks for your suggestions!

Tam.

Here are some helpful threads from our FAQ section that will give you some good guidelines for starting Phase 2 -

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/sbd-...phase-2-a.html

Try adding grains/fruits, slowly. Have it at lunch or dinner. Dr. Ag. doesn't want us having fruit in the morning.

Thank you so much! That link was exactly what I needed.

Many of us do have fruit in the morning. It's often the first thing people add. It really helps some of us to make sure there is also protein in the meal, for example Greek yogurt and blueberries can be a good choice.

Here's more info:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/sbd-...-p2-combo.html

The http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/sout...22-2-28-a.html will give you an idea of what other Beachers are doing in each phase. Many of us refer to 1.5, a transition phase between 1 and 2 (and where I personally do best).

Do you think incorporating the fruit into a smoothie the first week of phase 2 is okay? (I was thinking fresh strawberries, skim milk, plain yogurt)

Probably a silly question, but I am finding myself nervous as I approach P2.

I think the smoothie would be a great idea....just make sure the yogurt is a low sugar kind!... blueberries are also very good...full of antioxidants. I add green powder to mine for a little extra veggie power.

If you can get Greek yogurt use that. The extra protein will make a difference. Transitioning to Phase 2 is very much a trial and error process and unique for each of us. Add one food and then watch your body. If you develop cravings or have other new problems try another food or a different meal.

Early on any fruit or grain in the morning ended with me being absolutely starving in the late afternoon, always my problem time. I had to limit Phase 2 foods to lunch or dinner. Now that's no longer an issue.

SB will help you understand your own body, how it reacts to particular foods, food combinations and meal timing.

yes, you've got to have some fat and protein when you eat any kind of carb. I added my fruit in the am and it was ok. Fruit is not really a trigger for me though. I have only used quinoa as a grain and only in a salad. I could literally sit down and eat 2 cups of quinoa by itself, so I don't do that, and I don't use it as a side by itself either. I know my carb triggers and I'm very careful and still afraid a bit. I'm on phase 2 with one serving of fruit and one serving of grains.

I'm a firm believer in adding one item at a time for a week and seeing how it affects both your cravings and weight loss. Most people do seem to do better eating both fruit or grains/starches along with a serving of protein.

The first two things I added in the past were berries and apples. We love peanut butter with our apples.... nummy.

Personally, I love smoothies, but when we started having them on a regular basis last time around on South Beach my weight loss did completely stall... After some investigation I decided that it was probably due to the fruit being blended and my body not needing to break it down the same way that I would if it was whole fruit... That was just my personal experience, YMMV.

As far as the grains/starches go... some of the first things I added that I did really well with brown rice, winter squash, and oatmeal...

It really is trial and error... just take your time, listen to your body and you'll be fine.

I still don't eat bread. I like a sweet potato with my evening meal. I introduced oatmeal first, then apples.

In terms of making smoothies that would be dangerous for me for several reasons. Liquids go right through me, and I think the whole fruit is much more satisfying. I don't think I personally could do it.